Natural Language Access to Software Applications

Paul Schmidt, Sibylle Rieder, Axel Theofilidis, Marius Groenendijk, Peter Phelan, Henrik Schulz, Thierry Declerck, Andrew Bredenkamp

Abstract: This paper reports on the ESPRIT project MELISSA (Methods and Tools for Natural-Language Interfacing with Standard Software Applications)1. MELISSA aims at developing the technology and tools enabling end users to interface with computer applications, using natural-language (NL), and to obtain a precompetitive product validated in selected enduser applications. This paper gives an overview of the approach to solving (NL) interfacing problem and outlines some of the methods and software components developed in the project.